Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Designated organic active ingredient containing – Having -c- – wherein x is chalcogen – bonded directly to...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-08
2004-05-11
Padmanabhan, Sreeni (Department: 1617)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Designated organic active ingredient containing
Having -c-, wherein x is chalcogen, bonded directly to...
C544S224000, C544S242000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06734186
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical that is useful for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction (FSD), in particular female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD). The present invention also relates to a method of treatment of FSD, in particular FSAD. The present invention also relates to assays to screen for compounds useful in the treatment of FSD, in particular FSAD.
For convenience, a list of abbreviations that are used in the following text is presented before the Claims section.
Female Sexual Response
The female sexual response phase of arousal is not easily distinguished from the phase of desire until physiological changes begin to take place in the vagina and clitoris as well as other sexual organs. Sexual excitement and pleasure are accompanied by a combination of vascular and neuromuscular events which lead to engorgement of the clitoris, labia and vaginal wall, increased vaginal lubrication and dilatation of the vaginal lumen (Levin, 1980; Ottesen, 1983; Levin, 1991; Levin, 1992; Sjoberg, 1992; Wagner, 1992; Schiavi et al., 1995; Masters et al., 1996; Berman et al., 1999).
Vaginal engorgement enables transudation to occur and this process is responsible for increased vaginal lubrication. Transudation allows a flow of plasma through the epithelium and onto the vaginal surface, the driving force for which is increased blood flow in the vaginal capillary bed during the aroused state. In addition engorgement leads to an increase in vaginal length and luminal diameter, especially in the distal ⅔ of the vaginal canal. The luminal dilatation of the vagina is due to a combination of smooth muscle relaxation of its wall and skeletal muscle relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles. Some sexual pain disorders such as vaginismus are thought to be due, at least in part, by inadequate relaxation preventing dilatation of the vagina; it has yet to be ascertained if this is primarily a smooth or skeletal muscle problem. (Levin, 1980; Oltesen, 1983; Levin, 1991; Levin, 1992; Sjoberg, 1992; Wagner, 1992; Schiavi et al., 1995; Master et al., 1996; Berman et al., 1999).
The vasculature and micro vasculature of the vagina are innervated by nerves containing neuropeptides and other neurotransmitter candidates. These include calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), neuropeptide Y (NPY; Sequence No. 4), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP; Sequence No. 8) (Hoyle et al., 1996). Peptides that are present in the clitoris are discussed infra. Nitric oxide synthase, which is often colocalised with VIP (Sequence No. 8), displays a greater expression, immunologically, in the deep arteries and veins rather than in the blood vessels of the propria (Hoyle et al., 1996).
Female Sexual Dysfunction
It is known that some individuals can suffer from female sexual dysfunction (FSD). FSD is best defined as the difficulty or inability of a woman to find satisfaction in sexual expression. FSD is a collective term for several diverse female sexual disorders (Leiblum, 1998, Berman et al., 1999). The woman may have lack of desire, difficulty with arousal or orgasm, pain with intercourse or a combination of these problems. Several types of disease, medications, injuries or psychological problems can cause FSD.
Studies investigating sexual dysfunction in couples reveals that up to 76% of women have complaints of sexual dysfunction and that 30-50% of women in the USA experience FSD.
Sub-types of FSD include hypoactive sexual desire disorder, female sexual arousal disorder, orgasmic disorder and sexual desire disorder.
Treatments in development are targeted to treat specific subtypes of FSD, predominantly desire and arousal disorders.
The categories of FSD are best defined by contrasting them to the phases of normal female sexual response: desire, arousal and orgasm (Leiblum 1998). Desire or libido is the drive for sexual expression—and manifestations often include sexual thoughts either when in the company of an interested partner or when exposed to other erotic stimuli. In contrast, sexual arousal is the vascular response to sexual stimulation, an important component of which is vaginal lubrication and elongation of the vagina. Thus, sexual arousal, in contrast to sexual desire, is a response relating to genital (e.g. vaginal and clitoral) blood flow and not necessarily sensitivity. Orgasm is the release of sexual tension that has culminated during arousal. Hence, FSD typically occurs when a woman has an inadequate or unsatisfactory response in any of these phases, usually desire, arousal or orgasm. FSD categories include hypoactive sexual desire disorder, sexual arousal disorder, orgasmic disorders and sexual pain disorders.
Hypoactive sexual desire disorder is present if a woman has no or little desire to be sexual, and has no or few sexual thoughts or fantasies. This type of FSD can be caused by low testosterone levels, due either to natural menopause or to surgical menopause. Other causes include illness, medications, fatigue, depression and anxiety.
Female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) is characterised by inadequate genital response to sexual stimulation. The genitalia (e.g. the vagina and/or the clitoris) do not undergo the engorgement that characterises normal sexual arousal. The vaginal walls are poorly lubricated, so that intercourse is painful. Orgasms may be impeded. Arousal disorder can be caused by reduced oestrogen at menopause or after childbirth and during lactation, as well as by illnesses, with vascular components such as diabetes and atherosclerosis. Other causes result from treatment with diuretics, antihistamines, antidepressants eg SSRIs or antihypertensive agents. FSAD is discussed in more detail infra.
Sexual pain disorders (which include dyspareunia and vaginismus) are characterised by pain resulting from penetration and may be caused by medications which reduce lubrication, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, inflammatory bowel disease or urinary tract problems.
The prevalence of FSD is difficult to gauge because the term covers several types of problem, some of which are difficult to measure, and because the interest in treating FSD is relatively recent. Many women's sexual problems are associated either directly with the female ageing process or with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.
There are wide variations in the reported incidence and prevalence of FSD, in part explained by the use of differing evaluation criteria, but most investigators report that a significant proportion of otherwise healthy women have symptoms of one or more of the FSD subgroups. By way of example, studies comparing sexual dysfunction in couples reveal that 63% of women had arousal or orgasmic dysfunction compared with 40% of men have erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction (Frank et al., 1978).
However, the prevalence of female sexual arousal disorder varies considerably from survey to survey. In a recent National Health and Social Life Survey 19% of women reported lubrication difficulties whereas 14% of women in an outpatient gynaecological clinic reported similar difficulties with lubrication (Rosen et al., 1993).
Several studies have also reported dysfunction with sexual arousal in diabetic women (up to 47%), this included reduced vaginal lubrication (Wincze et al., 1993). There was no association between neuropathy and sexual dysfunction.
Numerous studies have also shown that between 11-48% of women overall may have reduced sexual desire with age. Similarly, between 11-50% of women report problems with arousal and lubrication, and therefore experience pain with intercourse. Vaginismus is far less common, affecting approximately 1% of women.
Studies of sexually experienced women have detailed that 5-10% have primary anorgasmia. Another 10% have infrequent orgasms and a further 10% experience them inconsistently (Spector et al., 1990).
Because FSD consists of several subtypes that express symptoms in separate phases of the sexual response cycle, there is not a single therapy. Current treatment of FSD focus
Maw Graham Nigel
Wayman Christopher Peter
Benson Gregg C.
Musser Arlene K.
Padmanabhan Sreeni
Pfizer Inc.
Richardson Peter C.
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